Former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kim Hyun-soo wipes tears from his face during a news conference to announce his joining the LG Twins at the Grand Intercontinental Hotel in southern Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap

Kim Hyun-soo opens era for big 3 outfielders in KBO LeagueBy Kang Hyun-kyungFormer Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kim Hyun-soo showed mixed feelings about his return to the Korea Baseball Organization League, crying three times during a news conference to announce that he is joining the LG Twins. He said Thursday he was happy to be able to play full time in the league and meet Korean fans again. At the same time, however, he revealed regret about his unfulfilled dream in the Major League, which every baseball player dreams of.Kim was emotional during the news conference, which came on the heels of signing an 11.5 billion won contract for four years with the Seoul-based club. Although Kim, 29, became the second-highest paid player in the KBO League after Lotte Giants first baseman Lee Dae-ho (whose four-year contract earnings is 1.4 billion won), he appeared to feel that something was missing. "I was so eager to play," he said. "During the two years in the Major League, I spent most of my time watching games played by my teammates on the bench in the dugout. My records this season were disappointing, partly because I was not given many opportunities to play. I decided to make a U-turn to the KBO League because I was eager to be part of games. I would have had to wait until mid-February if I were to sign a new contract with the Big League. I felt it was going to be too late for me to fully prepare for the new season."Kim said his two-year stint in the Major League was full of regret. "Before going to the United States, I thought I could do well but my performance there didn't go the way I wished," he said. "I felt sorry for Korean fans who supported me and expected me to play much better than I actually did. I realized baseball is not all about hard work. I learned it's more than a personal effort." Tears rolled down his cheeks as he briefly mentioned his eventful Major League career. He joined the Baltimore Orioles in 2015 under a two-year contract. He was traded to the Phillies this year after disappointing performances. He blamed himself for his performance in the Big League, which every Korean player is dying to play for. "I thought I deserved more opportunities than I actually had there, so I regret that fewer opportunities were given to me ... But I don't want to blame anyone because I know I didn't play well," he said. Kim, a Doosan Bears outfielder for 10 years before he joined the Baltimore Orioles, said thanks to Bears fans and the Twins club for giving him a second chance in the KBO League. He was frank about the contract. He said he was surprised when he was offered 11.5 billion won by the Twins for four years. He said he felt the amount was excessive and he wondered if he deserves it. Kim's return to the KBO League is a prelude to the era of outfielders next season. He is regarded as one of the big-three outfielders in the league. The others are Lotte Giants' Son A-Seop, who inked a 9.9 billion won contract with the club earlier, and another Giants outfielder, Min Byung-heon, who joined the Busan-based club after he played for the Bears.